Willis f



(No Model.)

' W P HOOD GAME APPARATUS.

No. 475,561. Patented May 24, 1892.

Svvuewto z UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

IVILLIS F. HOOD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. W. BRENKERT, OF SAME PLACE.

GAM E APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,561, dated May 24, 1892.

Application filed February 12, 1892. Serial No. 421,270. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIS F. I-IooD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Game Apparatus; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention is designed to provide a novel game apparatus for purposes of amusement and light recreation; and it consists of the device hereinafter specified and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of the game apparatus, the cover being removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line x in, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the slide forming the slip for the balls, also showing a portion of the base D.

I carry out my invention as follows: The game is played with one or more balls A A.

B represents a box or receptacle formed with an exterior rim or flange b and with a cover E. At its base the box or inclosure B is provided with a series of pockets 1) to receive the balls. Thebox or receptacle is preferably of annular form, and the pockets b are preferably arranged about the periphery of the base. I design to indicate some of the pockets by various numerals, as shown, extending from 1 to 10 or more, arranged as may be desired. Other pockets I design to indicate with a zero adjacent thereto, as shown.

C denotes a slip from which the balls are to be started, the balls rolling therefrom out upon the central portion B of the base of the receptacle, from whence they are to be guided by appropriate manipulation of the box only, as skillfully as possible, with the purpose in view of directingthe balls into numbered pockets and into pockets having the highest adjacent numerals, and at the same time guarding against any ball entering a zero pocket.

A desirable way of playing the game I have found to be to employ two balls A A of dif-' ferent colors or otherwise readily distinguish able.

These balls may be started simultaneously from the slip 0. Should both the balls be directed into numbered pockets, the two numerals adjacent thereto are counted on the players score, and the player proceeds to again start the balls from the slip in another play. The plays may be continued, and the numerals of the pockets receiving the balls added to the score, until one of the balls by a misplay or by inadvertence enters a zero pocket, after which the players turn is at an end and the game is turned over to another party to play until he too shall by misplay or by any inadvertence get one of the balls into a zero pocket. Thus the game is played back and forth by two or more parties thereto. One of the balls, as the ball A, may by the rules of the game count double the numeral of the pocket into which it is directed. The game may be played, however, with a single ball or with any desired number, as may be preferred. The slip is formed with upwardly-extended side walls C O extending from the marginal rim 1) inward toward the center of the receptacle, so as to direct the balls well out upon the central portion 13 of the base before they leave the guiding side walls 0' C The pockets, however, at the periphery of the base extend up to the outer ends of said walls adjacent to the rim, the inwardly-projecting side walls thus forming corners, as indicated at a a, at the meeting-points of the side walls and the rim. As the balls rolling upon the base of the receptacle back of the inner edges of the guide-walls would be stopped from rolling in the direction of the guide-wall thereby, it is found that the balls are very liable to enter into the pockets adjacent to the outer ends of said guide-walls, and especial care needs to be taken to keep the balls from entering therein. For this reason said latter pockets I prefer to make zero pockets, as indicated.

In -the construction of the device I find it economical and desirable to form an annularshaped box of ordinary construction (shown at B) and to secure upon the inner surface of said box a perforated base D, the perforations forming said pockets, the pockets needing to be only of sufficient depth to hold the balls from rolling when they have entered therein. This perforated base may be eemented upon the inner surface of the box. The slip I prefer to form by means of a flanged slide, which may be made of metal or other suitable material. The side walls 0' C of the slide are formed integral with an intermediate strip C To engage the flanged slide 0' C O in place, the perforated base D is slitted, as indicated at d d, from one edge thereof inward toward the center to receive the upwardly-extended flanges 0' 0 Before the base D is engaged in place upon the upper surface of the box the flanged slide C C C may be readily slipped into place from the exterior edge, Fig. 3 showing the slide in position about to be engaged with the perforated base. The walls C 0 project into said slits, and the portion 0 underlies the adjacent portion of the perforated base, as shown in Fig. 2. When so engaged with the said perforated base, the base, together with the flanged slide attached thereto, may readily be inserted into the box and secured in permanent position. The walls of the slide, being made of metal, are firm.

are both on the same horizontal plane, and

that the slip is wholly within the circle de- It will be observed from Fig. 2 that the portion'B and the slip C r the central portion of the receptacle within the annular series of pockets being alevel unobstructed su rface,snbstantia1ly as described.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of an annular receptacle provided with a marginal upwardly-projecting rim, a corresponding cover, and a slip formed with side walls extending from the marginal rim inward toward the center of the receptacle and inclosed with the receptacle under said cover, said receptacle provided with an annular series of pockets located adjacent to said rim, extending from one side of said slip around to the opposite side thereof, substantially as described.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination of an annular receptacle formed with a marginal upwardly-projecting rim and a slip formed with side walls extending from the marginal riminward toward the center of the receptacle, said receptacle constructed of a box havinga base secured upon its inner surface, said base constructed with an annular series of perforations, constituting pockets, located adjacent to the margin of the receptacle, the central portion of the base forming a level unobstructed surface, substantially as described.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination of a box, a perforated base formed with slits d 01', extending from its margin inward, and a flanged slide having its flanges projecting into said slits, forming an inwardly-extending slip, said perforated base and flanged slide secured upon the inner face of the box, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIS F. HOOD.

Witnesses:

N. S. WRIGHT, J. F. MILLER. 

